"First of all, just step back for a second and just contemplate the notion of anybody associated with President Trump thinking that a reporter is rude", Tapper told host Stephen Colbert.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said they had not received a formal invitation. Trump has said he wants to improve ties between the two nuclear powers, whose relations have dipped to a post-Cold War low in recent years.

"We are ready to invite President Trump to Moscow", Mr Putin said during a press conference in Johannesburg today. He also said that it was in the interests of Russian Federation and the USA to extend arms control treaties.

Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, Mr Mattis said: "I am considering meeting with my counterpart, but there's been no decision".

He was referring to the federal investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election and whether Trump's campaign assisted or was aware of the efforts.

'It worries me': Farmers on tariff relief
Either a country which has treated the United States unfairly on Trade negotiates a fair deal, or it gets hit with Tariffs. USA import tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium, implemented in March , will remain in place during the talks.

Moscow's military support starting in 2015 of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian war, Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and the conclusions of US intelligence agencies that Russian Federation meddled in the election have soured relations.

"(Trump) has a desire to conduct meetings in the future and I am ready", Putin said, extending the invitation and reiterating his desire to go to Washington.

On Wednesday, National Security Adviser John Bolton said that the president instead "believes that the next bilateral meeting with President Putin should take place after the Russia witch hunt is over", referring to U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and whether there was collusion among the Trump campaign team. "This is outrageous", said Blitzer, a former White House correspondent.

He went on to praise Mr Trump, saying he "strives to fulfil the promises, above all, given to voters".

US intelligence agencies concluded previous year that Moscow waged an influence campaign to help Trump win the White House by hacking into Democratic Party computers and using fake social media accounts to denigrate Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

On Friday afternoon, Trump will convene a National Security Council meeting devoted to the issue of election security.

A USA special counsel is now investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russian spies to manipulate the vote.

Red-hot Cubs bolster rotation by trading for Cole Hamels
Hamels carried a 3.61 ERA at the end of June, before a rough July (1-3, 11.12 ERA) sent his ERA climbing and his price dropping. The Chicago Cubs have acquired Cole Hamels from the Texas Rangers for a group on minor league prospects, according to sources. 7/28/2018

ISIS attacks in Sweida leave 150 dead, hostages
The assaults, it said, come "in the wake of the recent victories by Syria and its allies, especially in the south of the country". The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that 302 people, including 135 civilians, were killed. 7/28/2018

Suspect arrested, charged with starting Cranston Fire
In the Sierra Nevada, famed Yosemite National Park closed Wednesday as smoke from a fire to the west cast a pall on the region. McGlover, 32 of Temecula for allegedly setting multiple fires in southwest Riverside County, California on July 25, 2018. 7/27/2018

Tour de France Results - Stage 17
The incident comes a day after police used tear gas to disperse a farmers' protest that had blocked the road with bales of hay. Estonian rider Tanel Kangert launched an early solo breakaway and was first over the Montee de Peyragudes, the opening climb. 7/27/2018

White House: Nothing malicious in Trump-Putin omission
The statement went on to say that Crimea had joined Russian Federation based on "the right of a people to self-determination". Many Republicans have said they were disappointed in the one-on-one meeting between the two leaders, followed by Mr. 7/26/2018

50 killed in wildfires in Greece
The severely burnt bodies were entwined in groups in "a final attempt to protect themselves", said rescuer Vassilis Andriopoulos. Other northern European nations have been struggling to contain forest fires as the temperature shows no sign of dropping. 7/26/2018

Sergio Marchionne Dead At 66
He was an eminent member of the FIA F1 Strategy Group and of the FIA High-Level Panel for Road Safety. The new executive head of Ferrari will be Louis Carey Camilleri, CEO of tobacco giant Philip Morris. 7/26/2018

Impeachment resolution introduced against Rosenstein
The last time the House actually voted to impeach an executive branch official other than a president was 1876 . Trump could simply put someone else in his place who was more inclined to blunt or hamper the investigation. 7/26/2018

History made at British Open by Italy's Molinari
Another American Kevin Chappell (67) is two shots off the lead with Italy's Francesco Molinari (65) on six under alone in fifth. You kind of feel a bit more grateful to be here rather than Friday night, [when] you feel frustrated to be there. 7/25/2018

Trump Tweets: ‘Tariffs Are the Greatest’
Stocks of farm equipment makers including Deere & Co. gained on reports of the planned announcement of aid to farmers. Trump said . "Hope they do it, we are ready - but they won't!" he said . 7/25/2018